Natural History Education, Science, Technology

All sound files on this site are wav or mp3 files. Sometimes there is conflict between
screen-reading software and other sound players. If you have problems hearing the
sounds, contact your technical specialist. If you still have problems,
write,
and we'll try to help. Also be sure to let us know of any general access
problems. Thanks.

One person goes blind every 7 minutes in the United States according to one estimate.
Add to this number the new
victims
throughout the rest of the world and those already blind -- including those blind from birth
and those with
other severe visual impairments -- and the totals reach a stunning 160,000,000 according
to the World
Health Organization.

The development of the personal computer and advances in digitized sound offer a way
for blind and low
vision persons to find a satisfying hobby in nature study and to contribute to the world in
which we live. Even profoundly multiply impaired children are
able to benefit from digitized sounds of
nature.
NHEST, Inc. (Natural History Education Science and Technology) is working to design
computer-assisted
nature educational/recreational materials for the blind.

Blind and low vision persons are able to operate easily the
NHEST computerized bird identification lessons which use bird voice recordings
produced by MIST Software Associates. This website is designed for accessibility
to screen readers and browsers used by those with visual impairments.

We have presented programs on bird identification at Fields Pond Nature Center
of the Maine Audubon Society (located in Orrington) and at the 1999 convention of the
American Council of the Blind, and at a number of sites during 2000-2004. This website is seeing an increasing amount of use as blind and low vision
nature enthusiasts become aware of its existance.
Further development is needed, but we have made great progress. Our programs Fields Pond and other sites to teach the identification of trees using non-
visual
cues programs
demonstrated
the feasibility of this approach, and the section on trees (and one on gardening
for non-visual aesthetics) on this website has
received favorable comment and increasing use.

However, to develop this opportunity further, we need more help.
We need donations of money and time. To find out what you
can do to help, e-mail us at info@nhest.org, call us at
207-327-1453, or write us at:
NHEST
144 Atkinson Rd
Bradford, ME 04410.